All eyes are on Steph Curry this season but that’s nothing new.
The 2x NBA Most Valuable Player and 3x NBA Champion has taken his talents and trophies from Oakland to San Fransisco this season, revitalizing the new-look Warriors with each and every deep three and no-look pass.
While the world will be watching his breathtaking baskets and hard to fathom stat sheets, they’ll have another new thing to focus on: his shoes.
Debuting the Under Armour Curry 7 for the 2019-20 season, Steph’s latest low tops see direct design insight from Chef Curry himself all guided by the very talented Leon Gu.
Recently in San Fransisco, we got to chat with Steph, Leon and the UA team about the new Curry kicks that are high tech in tooling and loaded with detail. Get the facts and insights on the Curry 7 below.
The Curry Was Designed From the Inside Out
Typically, a new sneaker begins with a design brief eventually followed by a rendering of how the shoe will appear when worn on foot. For the Curry 7, the second step was actually reverse engineered.
“The brief for the Curry 7 was to design the shoe from the inside out,” explains Leon Gu. This led Leon and the UA Basketball team to a totally different approach that resulted in a shoe that’s sleek yet layered aesthetically while light yet loaded technically.
While an inside-out approach suggests a focus on the cushioning – we’ll get to that soon – it’s perhaps best expressed on the upper.
“The idea for this upper was to layer translucent panels that grow the levels of opaqueness and showcase an intuitive construction that comes together with an exposed speed plate,” says Gu. “By incorporating this translucent layering application of synthetic leather, mesh and TPU skins, we’ve ensured reinforcement in the shoe’s zonal areas. This offers comfort, stability and mobility, which is exactly what Stephen needs to perform at his absolute best.”
Past Under Armour Favorites Influenced the New Curry 7
Steph and Leon pushed the envelope big time on the Under Armour Curry 6 – a smooth low top look from UA that was inspired by running footwear and informed by performance data.
Though linear design ethos appear, the two took it back to a couple of old UA favorites to craft the Curry 7.
“Both Stephen and our fans love Micro G, and it was the cushioning that supported Stephen in the footwear – the UA Anatomix Spawn and UA Clutchfit Drive – he wore when he first joined the Under Armour family,” Gu said.
“We wanted to bring that cushioning back and introduce it to the Curry signature line with the Curry 7. We made it lighter while ensuring that it provides the same response that Stephen needs.”
The Curry 7 Features Two Cushioning Systems for More Responsiveness
As noted above, Micro G is featured on the Curry 7. However, it’s not alone.
“The Curry 7 is the first Under Armour shoe to combine two cushioning technologies, and the first Curry signature shoe to feature Micro G,” notes Gu. “We started with UA HOVR foam at the top and then added Micro G at the bottom. Both materials are separated and perfectly balanced by the flexible plate.”
The intention? More responsiveness, more bounce and better court feel.
“By incorporating both UA HOVR foam and Micro G, we’re bringing together two cushioning systems that provide athletes different, but equally important, performance benefits,” says Gu. “UA HOVR foam is encased in a dynamic web that provides energy return, while the Micro G is super responsive and helps the athlete explode on the court, something Stephen specifically wanted in this shoe.”
So, how do two top techs work together in conjunction on the Curry 7? As expected, Leon has the answer on that.
“The flexible plate balances the cushioning system of the shoe and adds the stability Stephen needs. When designing the shoe, we wanted to give the sneaker a futuristic look that highlights our new technology. The external material on the heel provides an outward expression of the shoe’s internal design.”
However, what’s cushioning if you don’t have traction? Yup, Leon and Steph were on that, too.
“We also transitioned from radial traction to adaptive, herringbone traction in the Curry 7,” noted Gu. “This provides zonally added grip, something the Curry 6 didn’t have. The various grip heights react to Stephen’s movements, meeting the demands of his game and quick footwork.”
The Curry 7 Will See Numerous Colorways
Like the Curry 6 – which was an ode to Oakland – the Curry 7 will have PLENTY of colorways.
However, don’t expect Leon to spill the beans on the themes. “Without giving too much away, we’re tying each Curry 7 colorway back to Stephen’s game and interests, in both fun and unique ways throughout the season,” said Gu.
Leon did hint at his favorite style, though. “Stephen will wear my favorite colorway on Christmas Day.” Look for Steph to lace his Christmas colorway on court against the Rockets.
Expect the Curry 7 to Crossover Off Court
Earlier this fall, the Under Armour Curry 6 was transformed into a golf shoe. The result? Instant sellout.
Could the Curry 7 see the same transition?
“There is more in store for the Curry 7 off the court,” Gu tells. “As for beyond the Curry 7, I’ll just say there’s a lot to be excited about.”
Steph is Hands on From Function to Storytelling
Basketball is business for Steph Curry and business is good. Taking care of his wheels, Steph is heavily involved in the design process of his shoes from start to finish. This includes both performance demands and personal storytelling.
“Stephen was involved throughout the entire design process,” reflects Gu. “He gave us a lot of creative input, which we were able to bring to life.”
While court feel, responsiveness and traction were the key performance points for Steph, he made sure his family was featured on the shoe, too.
“The Curry 7 features a nod to Stephen’s three children on the pull tab,” points out Gu. “We included three characters that represent each of them – a wolf for Canon, a unicorn for Riley and a butterfly for Ryan. His children will be with him anytime he’s on the court.”
Under Armour NBA Athletes & Schools Will Lace Up the Curry 7
Speaking of family, it won’t just be Steph rocking the Curry 7 on court this season.
His brother Seth has been rocking the “UNDRTD” Curry 7 all season in Dallas. Just the same, his buddy Kent Bazemore has been sporting the same pair in Portland.
Look for select Under Armour schools to lace PE pairs this season as well.
Peep the Curry 7 in detail below in photos from our own Rob Mata.
